Australia beat Bangladesh by 3 wickets in the fourth Twenty 20 International of the five match series in Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Bangladesh batsmen posted only 104 for nine in 20 overs but bowlers continued their superb display with the ball fighting till the end. Mustafizur Rahman continued his superb economical bowling show conceding only 9 runs in his four overs and taking two important wickets.
But Bangladesh were perhaps 10-15 runs short in the slow Mirpur pitch as Australia struggled to chase the total.
Opting to bat first, Bangladesh’s openers once again failed with the bat. Opener Soumya Sarker’s woes continued as he got out for only 8. The southpaw scored only 12 in the four matches of the series. Shakib Al Hasan also struggled with bat getting out for 15 from 26 balls. Captain Mahmudullah and Nurul Hasan departed in successive deliveries of Mitchell Swepson leaving Bangladesh in dire straits. Opener Naim top-scored for Bangladesh making 28 from 36 balls while Afif and Mahedi Hasan scored 20 and 23 respectively.
Swepson was wrecker-in-chief for the Aussies as he claimed three important wickets of Naim, Mahmudullah and Nurul Hasan Andrew. Andrew Tye also claimed three wickets, Josh Hazlewood two wickets and Asthton Agar bagged one.
Replying to Bangladesh’s modest total, Australia lost the wicket of captain Mathew Wade as off-spinner Mahedi Hasan bowled him in the very first over.
Dan Christian routed Shakib Al Hasan in the fourth over bludgeoning five sixes in the over.
Nasum Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman picked up wickets of McDermott and Christian in following overs rekindling the hosts’ hope of a fightback. Fizz plumbed Alex Carey in his next over leaving Aussies 63 for five and Mahedi got in-form Mitchell Marsh in the following over to shake the visiting side.
Ashton Agar scored a run-a-ball 27 but Shamim Hossain took a brilliant catch of Shoriful’s ball in 18th over leaving Australia 99 for seven. Ashton Turner and Tye guided the Aussies home with three wickets in hand.
Mitchell Swepson was adjudged player of the match.
Bangladesh have already clinched the series, winning the first three matches. The next match of the series will be played on 9 August at the same venue.